NFL

When the 2012 NFL season kicked off, no one gave Russell Wilson a ton of thought because he was scheduled to be playing behind Matt Flynn. However, Coach Pete Carroll decided early on that Wilson would be the guy to lead the offense. That decision paid off and helped Seattle get into the playoffs. The question is, can Wilson improve, or was he experiencing some beginner’s luck?

Coming out of college, Wilson had a lot of negatives that overshadowed his performance on the field. Perhaps it was unfair to be compared to the likes of Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III, but he did not have the natural talent as the top signal callers in the 2012 draft.

Seattle gambled and took the undersized 23-year old to give him a shot. Wilson quickly made a name for himself, and finished the season about as strongly as possible. He finished fourth in passer rating while throwing for 3118 yards and 26 touchdowns. Those are not just good rookie numbers, but good numbers for any starting quarterback.

Part of Wilson’s success came from the fact that he was a bit unconventional in his ability to create outside of the pocket as well as in it. Seeing a quarterback for the first time for any NFL team is also a bit difficult to prepare for. Due to that, there is at least some concern that he has already reached his peak.

However, Seattle fans should not automatically worry. Wilson has already made a name for himself for his strong work ethic, and Carroll has already stated that his now franchise quarterback will be ready to take another step in 2013. Seeing is believing, but Wilson has continually proved people wrong at every level. He may not have the type of upside as his two main peers from his draft class, but he can be a consistent top 10 quarterback in the league, and a safe fantasy football pick, if he continues to improve and make adjustments.